Griggs courier., 1887-11-25
Is'. vs.. ~ q '{lS.s 49,. 7e' ~ "a.
CAN'T GO BEHIND THEM.

SW0s A0x0DkS lA4t1N emu 118194Ul
vitns Dehrdng. II g sS Sssss.ss 3SS
II is now Just twenty years since oris or
Government bought Of Russia oil her
possessions on this con tinent. Since
that purchase Alaska has been made
familiar to US in the reports Of officials
of scientific explorers, Of traders antll
Of tourists. The earlier history Of tho!
Territory is full Of interest. for L AM
marked by undertakings Of the most
intrepid daring and Of heroic adyaHt-
ure. That was a bold plan that
directed from ST. Petersburg ansex
pedition across the north Of Asia. tho
building Of vessels on the Eastern
coast. and the discovery Of a separate
continent on the opposite side Of the
Pacific. That plan was formed in the
mind Of Peter the Great, and it was
carried into execution by Behringss
whose name has since been connecteds
with the sea and the strait which Ia
between the continents. issfs ssl
vitus Bchring (Bering) was Dane.
He was born at the village Of Horsen
Jutland. in 1880 As young man. he
sailed in Danish vessels to the East
and West Indies. In 1905 he entered
the service of Peter the Great. and was
assigned to tho navy which had just
been built at Cronstadt The appoint
ment of Bebring to the command oftas
scientific expedition in the Sea Of
Kamschatka was made January 29,
1925. On the 5th of February Behring
started from St Petersburg. and three
days later his imperial master died.
So difficult was the journey overland
that it was not until the summer of I
the following year that Behring. with
the advance detachment reached the
Sea of Ochotsk. Behring then built
a boat to carry tho party over the sea. !,
He had brought men from Russia for
this purpose. The craft was christened
the Fortune Tho last of June. 1877.
it carried over to Kamchatka the ship
builders who werc to build the vessel
intended for the great voyage.
Their ship-yard was established at
tho mouth of the Kamschatka river. The
next winter was spent in preparing
timbers for the vessel, and on the Goth
Of July, 1928. it was ready. for The
voyage. Three years and half had
gone by since Behring and his party
had set out from St. Petersburg. The
Gabriel-for that was the name of the
ship-sailed northeast along the coast
of Asia. On the 10th of August
the Island of St. Lawrence was discov-
cred. Five days later they rounded..
cape in latitude 67 deg. 18 min!
north. Here the coast line turned
suddenly to the west Behring had
proved that the continents were sepa-
rate. The party returned to tho ship
yard and wintercd there. On the. 9TH
Of June. 1729 they left again on a.
voyage of exploration. but were, un-
successful, and Behring returned over
land to ST. Petersburg. 81
It was not until 1892 that proposals
were made for another expedition.
Anna was now Empress, and she was
ambitious to extend the boundaries Of
Russia She directed that special at
tention be given to the possibilities Of
a northeast passage along the Amer
ican coast. Behring's plan was to-
push across to the coast Of America,
and trace it northward to the strait he
had discovered. The plan gave Behring
her possessions in America. The party
left ST. Petersburg early in 1888. They
built two vessels on the Sea of OchotsE
Seven years had been spent when, in
the St. Peter and the St. Paul. they
sailed over to Kamschatka and VIM
tered there. On the 4th of June, 1741.
Behring started Oh his last voyage. He.
was in command of the St. Peter. July
18 the American. coast was sighted In
latitude So deg, 2S min. north. They
followed the dangerous coast to the.
west, meeting head-winds all the tjmA
Scurvy, broke out, and Behring was!
confined to his cabin. A council was
held, and it was resolved 10 return to-
Kamschatka. The St. Paul was lost.
On the 4th of November an island Was
sighted-the last discovery Behring
was to make. 1t was named for him.
Here they landed for winter quarters.
The commander was carried on shore
November 9. and he died December
10. The survivors of that winter built
boat from the wreck of the ST. Peter,
and they reached Kamschatka on the
9th of August. 1742. Youths Com
pa,siO'.
The Commissioner of Patents in q
preliminary report to the Secretary Of
the Interior, shows that the number Of